EXPOS 9, CUBS 3

Friday's dreary 9-3 loss to left-hander Jeff Fassero and the Montreal Expos left Frank Castillo and the Cubs pondering one of those enduring and puzzling questions of baseball:

How can a pitcher, apparently in full command, suddenly and inexplicably lose in rapid order (a) his shutout, (b) his aplomb and (c) the ballgame?

Castillo ran afoul of this malady in the sixth inning in dark, damp Wrigley Field before a crowd that numbered about half the 23,860 ticket buyers.

Castillo carried a four-hit shutout into the sixth inning of a 0-0 duel with Fassero. Castillo struck out six and walked none. Citing "the best change I've had in a long time," he threw an uncharacteristically high 15 swinging strikes past Montreal bats in five innings.

Castillo retired .339 hitter Mark Grudzielanek on a foul to Mark Grace to lead off the decisive sixth. Next, Castillo worked ahead of Mike Lansing one ball and two strikes.

Then, in a dozen pitches, Castillo's fine performance evaporated. He hit Lansing with a pitch. He threw a wild pitch. Henry Rodriguez lined an RBI single to center. David Segui, Moises Alou and F.P. Santangelo singled successively.

Castillo got the hook. The Expos led 5-0. Fassero had his victory and a 5-5 record.

Looking back, manager Jim Riggleman and Castillo each thought that Castillo's plunking Lansing with the pitch was a turning point.

"It led to a huge inning," said Riggleman. "Who knows? Lansing might have made a base hit. But Frank did what we wanted him to do. He came inside. He was ahead 1 and 2 with a chance to get the first two batters . . ."

Castillo stressed that, "I didn't throw the pitches I should have made after I hit Lansing. I hung an 0-and-2 change to Alou. That's my fault. I've got to make quality pitches."

The loss dropped Castillo's record to 1-8 with a season ERA of 6.72.

"The 1-8 record bothers me like crazy," said Castillo. "It's frustrating. I know I'm a better pitcher than that."

Riggleman has no plans to demote Castillo to the bullpen, as he did Jim Bullinger on Friday.

"Frank's last three starts in a row he's pitched four or five very good innings and then went south," said Riggleman. "We didn't help him today by not scoring."

"Each time I go out I think I'm going to win," said Castillo. "I'm getting closer . . ."

Fassero pitched 8 2/3 innings of five-hit ball, stopping every Cub except third baseman Leo Gomez, who batted in all three runs with two homers. From the second through the eighth innings, Fassero's control was so sharp he walked only one and threw only 26 of 80 pitches out of the strike zone.

Montreal bunched nine of its 13 hits for all nine runs in the sixth and ninth. The Expos had 12 singles and one double.